In fairness, in many other seasons, those results would have ended our chances, but as it panned out that season all the other teams kept dropping points too, so we were able to sneak in with a relatively low points total due to our run at the end. If other teams hadn't been in such indifferent form it would have been out of our hands.
So it's difficult to predict, we just have to pick up as many points as we can and hope it's enough depending on other teams. Some seasons it's more, some it's less. We can't dictate how many teams go on a mad run in the last 5-10 games, we just have to make sure we're one of them.
That’s why you deal with what’s in front of you rather than looking at historic averages. It was pretty clear in 22/23 that the points table was going to be lower than usual.
This season, WBA will sacrifice consistency under Mowbray (versus Corberan) and Balckburn are on a downward trajectory. Everything is to play for.
Looking at the state of the table now, the teams most likely to finish 5th and 6th will be; WBA, Blackburn, Norwich, Middlesborough and ourselves. You can’t discount Sheff Wednesday or Bristol Coty either but think they’ll finish where they are right now.
We’re in control of our destiny because we have Middlesborough, WBA and Sunderland at home. Our home form under Lampard has turned around dramatically which bodes v well for when we play the top half teams.
Our away fixtures are generous too, of the 7 away games left, we play the bottom 4 and Oxford who are in the bottom half. Our hardest away games are both Sheffield teams, on paper.
Without analysing the other teams fixtures, we may have the ‘easiest’ run in.
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